What to put in an actor demo reel

What to put in

• Your name first, then straight into a scene
• Your strongest scene at the start, before anyone stops watching
• Two to five scenes, often 20 to 30 seconds each
• Variety, so people see different characters and moods
• Clear picture and sound, because poor quality footage works against you

Pick scenes where you are the focus

If you are in a scene but it is really someone else's moment, you can look like background. Choose clips where you are doing the acting and reacting.

What to leave out

• Long photo montages with music over your name
• Clips where you barely appear
• Footage that is blurry, dark or hard to hear

Sources: Backstage: 7 rules for making your demo reel and Backstage: what should be on every actor's demo reel.

Questions

How many scenes should an actor reel have?

Two to five scenes is a common range, and many are 20 to 30 seconds each.

What if I do not have much footage?

Start with what you have and add new clips as you book work. Your own well lit, steady phone clips can help fill gaps.

Should I add music?

Avoid music over your name at the start. If you use a photo montage at all, keep it very short.

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